What Are the Benefits of Bilberry Supplements?

Bilberry extract may help maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

Bilberrry, a relative of the North American blueberry, is a group of European shrubs in the genus Vaccinium. Similar in appearance to blueberries, bilberries are slightly smaller and darker, with a red or purple inner coloration. Notoriously difficult to grow, bilberries are usually harvested in the wild, according to Breanne FIndlay, author of "The Celtic Diet: Let History Shape Your Future." Supplements derived from bilberry offer potential health benefits.

Retinal Health

Bilberry antioxidant supplements support healthy vision by helping to regenerate light-sensitive pigments in cells of the retina, according to a study published in the September 2010 issue of the journal "Vestnik Oftalmologii." Anthocyanidin compounds in bilberry protect and improve nutrient status of the retina. Bilberry extract protected the retina from damage in an animal study published in the July 2009 issue of the journal "Molecular Nutrition and Food Research." In the tissue culture study, bilberry antioxidant extract prevented oxidation of lipids and inhibited nerve damage to the retina in response to a toxin.

Glaucoma Improvement

A combination of bilberry extract and ginkgo biloba improved vision in patients with normal-pressure glaucoma -- a condition characterized by damage to the optic nerve that can lead to a narrowing of the visual field and eventual total blindness. Participants with normal-pressure glaucoma consumed the combination supplement daily for an average of two years. Results showed a 31 percent in visual acuity, according to one rating scale, while visual field improved by 17 percent.

Blood Sugar Management

Bilberry supplements may help lower your blood sugar, according to an animal study published in the March 2010 "Journal of Nutrition." Diets supplemented with bilberry extract decreased blood sugar levels and improved insulin sensitivity -- the appropriate response of cells to insulin -- in mice with Type 2 diabetes. Bilberry extract activated an enzyme that stimulates fat burning and inhibits cholesterol production, leading to improved glucose absorption in muscles and lower levels of glucose and fat in the liver. Some evidence shows that retinal damage due to diabetes or high blood sugar may improve with bilberry supplementation, notes New York University's Langone Medical Center.

Circulatory Health

Your circulation may receive a boost from bilberry supplementation, according to a study published in the November 2011 issue of the journal "Clinical Chemistry." Participants with elevated cholesterol consumed 320 milligrams of bilberry antioxidants per day for 12 weeks. Measurements of blood flow showed 28.4 percent improvement in the supplemented group compared to baseline blood flow measurements of the same group taken before starting the bilberry supplement. Additionally, levels of high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, the good form of cholesterol, increased significantly with bilberry supplementation, while levels of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, the bad form of cholesterol, decreased.